Shadowless
by Brownfurfics
Summary: Echokit was raised outside the clans, but at five moons is sent to Shadowclan by her mother, Brackenflower. As she enters the clans, she is thrust into the warrior code's strict rules, and quickly learns to dislike them. The dark spirits guiding her 'grand design' encourage her rebellion and she starts to lose her sense of empathy. A story of a young cat's dark decline. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1 and Allegiances

**Allegiances and Chapter 1: **

**Hi! This is my first story, so sorry if it's completely awful! If it's decent, maybe leave a review? I won't ask anymore though, don't worry! I need names for future characters and the rest of the clans, if you'd like to submit any.**

**\- ****-Brownfur**

_Echokit awoke, and_ found herself being swung from her scruff in her mother's jaws.

Brackenflower unceremoniously dropped her into the peat, Echokit's chin now aching. "Mama, why aren't we at home?"

The kit gazed around the pine trees unfamiliarly. The woods were unlike the sparsely populated fields she had been living in for the past 5 moons of her life. She looked at the moon-high skies and realized Brambleflower must have walked all night. The last thing she remembered was her mother giving her a mouse, with a stranger taste than usual.

"You are going home." Brackenflower turned her dull, tired eyes upon her kit and lashed a scarred, patched tail.

"This isn't home!" Echokit squeaked. "What about our cave in the fields? And where is Whisperkit and Nightkit, anyways?" Echokit began to worry as she realized her brown tabby brother and tortoiseshell sister were gone.

"You're the strongest of them," Brackenflower mewed, as if that explained everything. "Listen, now. You will go straight into the pine woods until you come across a stream. It isn't far from here."

"But ma-"

"Hush. There you will wait. Soon enough a group of cats will appear and take you into your new home. There is a cat named Spirestrike, a tall brown tom." Brackenflower's eyes misted as she spoke his name. "You will tell the cats there you are Brackenflower's last kit. Tell Spirestrike you are his. And they will take you in."

Echokitcurled her tail around herself. "Why? I want to be with you. And Whisperkit and Nightkit." She mewed, almost a whisper.

"I will be with you. In your dreams." Brackenflower's gaze fell to her sheathed claws. "If you want to survive, you will do as I say. Join them."

"But who are these cats?" Echokit stood and gazed into her mother's amber eyes and saw her young face, a smoky brown tabby with white around her face running all down to her underbelly reflected.

With a change in demeanor, Brackenflower lowered her voice, "Shadowclan. Who I've been telling you kits about."

Silence filled the clearing for a moment before Brackenflower pushed Echokit away with her tail. "Go. I love you, but you must fulfill your design. I will visit you."

_Design?_

Echokit opened her mouth to speak and stepped forwards, but her mother lashed out an unsheathed paw.

"Leave."

"I-"

The claws reached for Echokit's neck, but stopped before impact, and pushed the kit away once more.

Eyes stinging, Echokit whirled around and began to run into the pine woods.

"Good." Brackenflower whispered as she watched her last kitten leave her. She choked out a sob and dug her claws into the ground.

A dark spirit-cat, starless and whites of the eyes turned into void, slunk beside Brackenflower. "You did what you had to, darling. She will be our savior." The mostly black tortoiseshell she-cat rasped a tongue down the no-longer-sobbing queen's cheek.

"I know, mother. Ravenblood." The pale calico cat stood, determination filling her eyes.

"You have fulfilled your part of the prophecy. Join us once more, Brambleflower." The shadow spoke and curled her tail around her daughter's.

Brambleflower nodded slowly and unsheathed her claws. "She will be my revenge. My legacy."

"Our revenge. Our legacy. Our star." Ravenblood whispered.

With those words, Brambleflower took her claws and shoved them into her own throat.

Then ripping the paw from her neck, she looked down at the blood gushing from herself. It came slowly, then poured out. Brambleflower crumpled to her belly and began laughing maniacally. She wheezed, and ran her claws down her eyes, pain ravaging through.

_Let my blood be for yours, Echokit._

The last thing she felt alive was her own blood seeping down her throat and joy finally warming her heart.

**Allegiances:**

**Shadowclan:**

**Leader: **

Driftstar- Tall black tabby she-cat with white ears and bright orange eyes.

**Deputy:**

Rubblerace- Silver and white dappled tom with brown eyes.

**Medicine Cat:**

Streakfern- brown spotted tom with a ginger stripe reaching down to his tail and green eyes.

**Warriors: **

Bladetooth- Grey tabby she-cat with a snaggle tooth and blue eyes.

Writheclaws- ginger tom with a white tail and amber eyes.

Roaringice- Blue she-cat with grey eyes and scars down throat.

Redrose- Smoky red tomcat with long fur, a plumy tail and brown eyes.

Ashenspots- Spotted grey tomcat with darker grey face, paws, and tail, and blue eyes.

Cindercoat- Pale grey she-cat with darker grey face, paws, and tail, and amber eyes.

Batears- Skinny brown striped tomcat with huge ears and grey eyes.

Fawnflight- Cinnamon she-cat with white patches and green eyes.

Starksnow- Bright white tom with bobtail and green eyes.

Spirestrike- Thick brown tabby tom with long fur and amber eyes.

Lonestride- Blue and pale ginger dappled she-cat with tufted ears and grey eyes.

Palestripe- Peach colored tomcat with white stripes and yellow eyes.

Thistlerash- Grey tom with white legs and grey eyes.

**Queens:**

Ebonypool- Longfurred black and white patched queen with brown eyes and mother of Batears' kits; Opalkit- a She-kit, black with tall white ears, and Ivorykit- a tom-kit, black with white back and front legs.

Curlyears- Grey striped queen with blue eyes and strange ears curled back towards head, (look up American curl) expecting Rubblerace's kits.

Poppyjaw- White she-cat with black speckles on chin, tail and legs with yellow eyes, mother of Ashenspot's kit; Speckledkit- Spotted grey tom kit with grey eyes and short tail.

**Apprentices:**

Birchpaw- Yellow tom with black stripes, long fur and grey eyes, apprenticed to; Starksnow.

Rapidpaw- Yellow and gold she-cat with brown eyes, apprenticed to; Thistlerash.

Thawpaw- Skinny blue and white tomcat with green eyes, apprenticed to; Curlyears.

Greenpaw- Brown-Black she-cat with green eyes and tufted ears, apprenticed to; Spirestrike.

**Elders:**

Rubyshard- Red and orange she-cat, half blind with greyed blue eyes.

Lashclaw- Brown and black tom with grey eyes.

**Thunderclan**:

Leader:

Slipstar- Aging white tomcat with brown eyes.

Deputy:

Fallowclaw- Yellow striped She-cat with green eyes and silver streamed claws.

Medicine Cat:

Moongaze: White she-Cat with grey eyes.

Warriors:

Skyshard- Blue and grey striped she-cat with cut tail and grey eyes.

Swallowskies- Red and silver she-Cat with torn ears and brown eyes.

Apprentices:

Heartpaw- Large golden tabby and white tom with grey-blue eyes and a gold splash on chest, apprenticed to Swallowskies.

Doepaw- Tall golden brown she-cat with green eyes apprenticed to Skyshard.

Oakpaw- Brown tom with white back and brown eyes apprentices to Moongaze.

**Windclan:**

Leader:

Shredstar- Slim orange she-cat with blue eyes and heavily pregnant with Talonscreech's kits.

Deputy:

Lakeeyes- Blue tom cat with pale, almost white eyes.

Medicine Cat:

Mallowbreeze: Soft-furred sandy she-cat with green eyes.

Warriors:

Droughtpelt- Cinnamon tomcat with long fur and red eyes.

Talonscreech- Grey pointed tom with brown eyes.

Voltclaw- Solid talon she-cat with yellow eyes.

Apprentices:

Flickpaw- Grey tabby she- cat with grey eyes, apprenticed to Voltclaw.

Wailpaw- Tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes and thick legs, apprenticed to :

Leader:

Furledstar- Brown tabby tom with tail typically carried over back (look up American Ringtail) and brown eyes.

Deputy:

Plummetleap- Grey and orange she-cat with blue eyes.

Medicine Cat:

Oceancry: Scrawny blue tom with silver stripes around his eyes and green eyes.

**Cats outside of the Clans:**

Marsh- Young brown tabby rogue tom with one amber eye and one green eye.

Kyli- A female silver classic tabby kittypet with long fur and grey eyes.

Brackenflower- Longfurred dilute calico she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Spirestrike's kits; Whisperkit- Brown tabby tom with silvery eyes and long fur, Echokit- Brown and white tabby she-kit with plumy tail and tufted ears, and Nightkit- Dark tortoiseshell She-kit with long fur, grey eyes, and tufted ears.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I'm surprised I was able to come up with chapter so quickly! And thanks for my first reviews!

**Firestar the warrior: **AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa thank you! I'm so happy someone liked it!

**catspider12**: Spiderclaw will definitely be added, we'll see her soon! And I'll eventually update the allegiances again when I make rosters for the rest of the clans.

\- -**Brownfur**

The peat was soft under Echokit's paws, but as the moon started to fall behind the trees again, she could feel their aching.

_I thought Mama said it wouldn't be far?_

Sighing, the kit stopped for the first time and sat down. She curled her tail around herself and felt her stomach rumble. Ferns rustled in the breeze, and Echokit's mind began to race. Without her constant focus on walking and looking for a stream, she felt the dull agony of being sent away.

"Why did she make me go?" She whispered to herself. "And find Shadowclan?"

Echokit began to smooth her flyaway fur. Don't think about that, she scolded herself, and instead distracting herself with stories her mother told about the clan.

There was the story of Shadowstar, of course, a she-cat strong and dark, who had started the clan and led them into the pine woods. She had taught her cats to hunt and fight without light.

Then there was Whorlstar, a silver tom who almost destroyed Thunderclan after a war, but let them rebuild under his mercy. And even gave them some of Shadowclan's land.

Echokit's favorite story was about a she-cat named Ravenblood, who after being cheated on by her mate, rose to being the best fighter in the clan, and earning everyone's respect. Echokit loved it as her mother told her how Ravenblood fought against the leader of Riverclan, Dawnstar, and took two of her lives in one battle. But Ravenblood died of unknown causes before she could become leader.

By now, Echokit's paws had stopped hurting as bad, and she heard a faint, constant noise. Pricking her ears, she rose and followed the sound, now growing louder. A silvery brook glittered under the moonlight, the waves lapping. Echokit smiled faintly.

_I made it!_

Now, all she had to do was wait. Echokit dipped her paws into the cool water, and letting her drops ripple until she heard voices.

"Well,Ashenspots, I remember you being particularly ornery as a kit," A tomcat's voice laughed.

Echokit crouched behind a fern, unsure if she should show herself just yet.

A spotted grey tom led a ginger tom, cinnamon she-cat and a peach tom out behind the trees.

"I know, but Speckledkit doesn't seem to-"

"What's that smell?" The cinnamon she-cat hissed. "It's not another clan exactly, but not really rogue scented," She sniffed the air, jaws parted.

The cats crept closer and closer, almost ready to cross the brook before Echokit stepped from behind her cover.

"Are any of you Spirestrike?" She mewed, ears flat against her head.

"Spirestrike?" The spotted tom leapt across the stream, landing only tail-lengths away from Echokit. "What is a kit doing out here by herself?"

The cinnamon she-cat jumped across the brook beside the tom. She pulled Echokit into her fur. "She's freezing! What's your name, darling," she asked as she began to lick Echokit's fur.

"More importantly, what does she want with Spirestrike?" The peach tom called from across the stream.

Now warmed by the she-cat, Echokit looked into her eyes and said, "I'm Echokit. My mother told me to find Spirestrike, and Shadowclan."

"Well, hello, Echokit. My name is Fawnflight, this is Ashenspots," She gestured to the spotted tom beside her, "The peach cat is Palestripe, and the ginger one is Writheclaws." She finished.

"Why were you looking for us?" Ashenspots lowered his head to her level.

"Mama told me to."

"And Spirestrike?"

Echokit nodded.

Writheclaws spoke for the first time that night. "Who is 'mama?' It sounds like she was a warrior if she named you Echokit."

Echokit thought for a second and tucked her tail over her paws before replying. "She said her name was Brackenflower."

"Brackenflower?!" Fawnflight gaped and shared a panicked look with Ashenspots. "Is she here too?"

"No." Echokit didn't understand the fear in their eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, darling," Fawnflight lied. "So Spirestrike must be your father."

"I don't know."

Ashenspots lifted Echokit by her scruff before muttering, "Well, it's better for you to live with your father than mother." Then he leapt over the brook, Echokit swinging, but far out of reach of the waters.

Fawnflight followed suit. "Palestripe, Writheclaws, you can finish the border patrol. We'll take Echokit into camp."

The journey into camp was much faster than Echokit's trip to the brook.

"Surely Driftstar will let her into the camp, won't she?" Ashenspots said around Echokit's fur.

"Of course. She wouldn't leave a Shadowclan kit to live alone. Or with-" Fawnflight cut herself off awkwardly. "Her."

After a short trip, they walked around a bramble wall and through a thorn tunnel, tails kept safely from the thorns. Shadowclan lay in a hollow clearing with a small cave at one end. There were two huge boulders by the dens, and bramble dens. The cats were mostly asleep excepting a tall black she-cat lounging upon one of the boulders talking to a white tom and a young yellow tom.

Their heads turned as Ashenspots and Fawnflight came from the tunnel.

"You're early." The black tabby meowed. "Where are-" She leapt down from the boulder and stood tall in front of Echokit. "What is this." She said rather than asked.

Ashenspots set Echokit down gently and dipped his head to the she-cat. "Driftstar, this is Echokit. We found her waiting by the brook. Her father is Spirestrike."

Driftstar softened her gaze and knelt by Echokit. "Her mother is Brackenflower?"

"Yes." Echokit mewed. "She told me to come live here with Spirestrike."

Driftstar seemed taken aback. "She told you to come? Well, that's better than what she did to her last-"

Fawnflight cut her off with a sharp mew. "So can she stay?"

Driftstar rasped her tongue over Echokit's head. "Of course. We'll announce her to the clan in the morning. And she seems old enough to be an apprentice, but we'll wait half a moon."

Fawnflight nodded. "Do you want me to take care of her?"

"Yes. She should probably get to sleep. Ashenspots, catch up with your patrol." Driftstar finished, and walked into a hollowed oak tree.

Fawnflight nudged Echokit. "You're officially a Shadowclan cat!"

"What about Spirestrike?" Echokit teemed her silvery whiskers.

"He's sleeping right now. And we should be doing the same." Fawnflight led Echokit to a hollow behind a thorn bush. There sleeping were three she-cats, one curled around her single kit, another around two, and one who didn't have any yet. Careful not to wake any of them, Fawnflight lay beside Echokit and began purring, lulling her asleep. Echokit felt warmer and more loved than she ever remembered.

\- -**Brownfur**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

**I meant to upload this yesterday, but I was making sure my plot wouldn't collapse in a hole, haha... **

**\- - ****Brownfur**

_Echokit was jostled_ awake by a sudden movement and quickly blurred open her eyes. She stood, startled as she realized she was curled in Fawnflight's body.

"-She doesn't-" Fawnflight turned her head around as Echokit stood. "And now you've woken her up!" She snapped at a white queen with black specks on her.

Fawnflight stood and rasped a tongue over Echokit's ears, and the brown and white kit lowered her guard.

"Poppyjaw, it's not like she's a rogue," Fawnflight told the queen. "Her own father is-"

"All cats old enough to vanish in the shadows, gather under the Highrock!" Driftstar's voice rang loudly.

"Well, you'll see." Fawnflight lifted Echokit in her jaws and lashed a tail at Poppyjaw before slinking through the camp to the shadows beside the Highrock. She plopped Echokit down and shoved her into her fur. "This is a Highrock meeting. Driftstar- she's the leader you know, she calls the clan to announce important things to us."

"I know about clan meetings. And gatherings. And leaders, and medicine cats." Echokit mewed softly. "Mama told me."

"Oh."

The pair watched as many cats stood before Driftstar and the Highrock, Ashenspots waving his tail.

"Warriors of Shadowclan," Driftstar yowled. "Last night, on a border patrol, warriors Ashenspots and Fawnflight found a kit."

Murmurs already began to spread like wildfire through the cats.

"This kit was waiting at the brook for a patrol, and for Spirestrike." Driftstar nodded her head at a tall, thick brown and white tom who stepped back in surprise.

"A kitten?" He cried, as startled as the rest of the cats around him.

"That's your father," Fawnflight mrowed to Echokit.

Echokit studied him. He had kind eyes, but an imposing frame, and quite a few battle scars. "I like him." She whispered.

"The kit's mother is Brambleflower." Driftstar almost hissed the last word, and faces twisted in anger, fear, and pity for Spirespike. Driftstar flicked her tail, and Fawnflight once again lifted Echokit by her scruff. She took her to the front of the gathered cats, and Spirestrike ran to the kit.

"Shadowclan will welcome Echokit into our ranks as an apprentice tomorrow," Driftstar finished, but Echokit's eyes were locked on Spirestrike's. Fawnflight nodded to him, and Spirestrike stepped forwards, both hesitating and rushing before freezing.

Echokit took two small steps and pressed her nose against her father's.

"Brackenflower had you?"

"Yes."

Spirestrike wrapped his tail around Echokit. "I knew that dirty monster would-"

Driftstar leapt down and cut him off with a knowing look in her eyes. "She's okay."

Spirestrike finally released Echokit from his grasp and licked Driftstar's cheek. "Come, Echokit," His deep voice was warm. "Let's introduce you to the rest of Shadowclan."

"These are the apprentices. You'll join them tomorrow." Spirestrike flicked his tail to each young cat in turn. " Birchpaw, Rapidpaw, Thawpaw, and Greenpaw, my apprentice. She's becoming a warrior tomorrow."

Birchpaw was a yellow tom with broad dark stripes. Rapidpaw was likely his sister, a yellow-gold she-cat with warm brown eyes. Thawpaw was only slightly larger than Echokit, and was a silver and grey tom who had a bit too much of a smirk for her liking. Greenpaw was almost full grown, and was a dark brown-black tabby she-cat, with green eyes.

"Hi." Echokit didn't know how to react to cats who weren't Nightkit or Whisperkit.

"So Spirestrike's your dad?" Birchpaw purred a greeting happily.

"Yes."Greenpaw sat beside Echokit. "He's my mentor! Well, tomorrow I'll be a warrior, though," She mewed, flicking her wispy tail. "And you'll be an apprentice."

Rapidpaw blinked warmly at Echokit. "It'll be nice to have you in our den!" Her velvety voice was cheery.

"Rapidpaw, Birchpaw, and Thawpaw!" A tall silver and grey tom called from across the camp yowled. "Time for your training!"

The three apprentices waved goodbye and tripped over each other on their way. Greenpaw smiled and ambled away to the freshkill pile.

"Well, why don't we say hello to Rubblerace?" Spirestrike nudged Echokit to her feet. "He's my brother, so you're family."

Echokit followed her father to a mostly grey tom with white feet, similar to Spirestrike's but with brown.

"Hello, Echokit," Rubblerace nodded to his niece. "I'm happy my brother's kit will be joining Shadowclan."

"Hello." Echokit meowed, her tail lifting in greeting.

"Give her a good mentor, will you?" Spirestrike teased.

"Don't worry. Driftstar and I already discussed that." The grey tom laughed.

Echokit smiled, unused to the light-hearted mood of Shadowclan.

It was sunset by now, and Echokit had been paraded around by her father with many 'hellos.'

As her father was busy grabbing a small wren for Echokit, she watched Fawnflight and Driftstar walk back into camp with a few more cats. They all had prey in their jaws, and as Spirestrike dropped a wren before Echokit, Driftstar padded over.

"Want to share?" She asked Echokit's father with a large crow in her mouth.

"Of course," He licked her head and they sat beside Echokit.

Eating slowly, Echokit turned out their conversation and watched the clan go by. Poppyjaw and her kit, Speckledkit, were tossing a ball of lichen back and forth. The medicine cat, Streakfern, was setting leaves out to dry in the brisk air of newleaf. Palestripe, Birchpaw, and a warrior she'd learned was Starksnow we're holding a mock battle beside the apprentice's den.

Echokit finished her wren, and slinking quietly while her father and Driftstar were sharing tongues, walked over to Fawnflight. She had been watching Poppyjaw and Speckledkit play with a solemn look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Echokit mewed, startling the cinnamon she-cat.

"Why, nothing, darling." Fawnflight rasped a tongue over the brown kit's ear.

"You seem sad."

Fawnflight shook her head. "Not sad."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I thought I wouldn't be an apprentice for a half moon more?" Echokit blinked her wide eyes.

"Streakfern came into the den and said you were well around six moons, and you already knew much of the warrior cat life. Plus, we would have been short on apprentices tomorrow." The cinnamon she-cat meowed, still staring at Poppyjaw and her kit. She turned around with a gleam in her eye to Echokit and crouched. "Bend your legs like this," She demonstrated.

Echokit followed, and with anticipation, flicked her tail.

"No. Keep your tail still, and relax your shoulders. You aren't a Thunderclan cat."

"Oh." The brown kit eased her shoulders and rose on her haunches. "Like this?"

Fawnflight nodded. "Now creep softly, smoothly and then leap forwards. But low to the ground."

_Softly. Smoothly. Low to the ground. _

Echokit tossed herself through the air, paws too high up from the ground. She landed with a thud, and tripped over her own paws. But she had landed where she wanted to.

"Pretty good for your first time, Echokit," Fawnflight purred. "There's much to work on, but not a bad foundation."

"What was that?" Echokit mewed.

"It's both the basis of the hunting crouch and an attack. They can be modified on many ways, like grappling an opponent or landing in a somersault." Fawnflight's red paws brushed Echokit's back.

"It's running on moonrise." Spirestrike appeared from behind a bush. "You sleep one more night in the nursery and then you'll be apprenticed tomorrow. I'm so happy we found you." He rubbed his face across his daughter's.

Fawnflight led the brown and white she-cat into the empty nest of the nursery. Ebonypool and Poppyjaw were already asleep with their kittens.

As Fawnflight and Echokit curled together in their nest, Echokit's eyes flittering closed, she didn't notice Spirestrike's solemn face watching her from the entrance.

\- **-Brownfur**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Ayyy we find out a bit more about Brambleflower now!**

**\- ****-Brownfur**

_Echokit dreamed of herself_ running, from what she didn't know, but running through a red-skied woods. Her lungs couldn't keep up with her speed, and her head began to spin, until she came across a brook. She waded through, and the skies brightened into day. She calmed down and lay by the stream.

"Come darling, the sun's up." A husky voice whispered to Echokit.

The she-cat opened her eyes and saw her father, still an unfamiliar figure, leaning over her.

"You might want to groom your fur before you become an apprentice," he smiled. Spirestrike's love for his newly found kit shone in his eyes.

"Okay!" Echokit stood from Fawnflight's side and padded out of the nursery.

"I have to go get Greenpaw ready for her ceremony. I'll see you in a moment," Spirestrike waved his tail.

Fawnflight smoothed Echokit's flyaway furs down gently. "I'm so happy for you!" She murmured. "Spirestrike must be so overwhelmed but so happy."

"Really?" Echokit didn't understand exactly.

"Well, his apprentice is graduating to a warrior, and his newly recovered lost kitten is becoming an apprentice of his clan. And I'm pretty sure Driftstar's going to be expecting kits." She mrowed, smiling.

Echokit finished grooming her plumy tail. "His kits?"

"I'm pretty certain."

The two cat's finished smoothing Echokit's pelt just in time for Driftstar's announcement.

"All cats old enough to vanish in the shadow's, father under the Highrock!" She yowled.

Rubblerace stood behind her on the boulder, and Greenpaw and Spirestrike stood off the the side.

"Run over there!" Fawnflight hissed in Echokit's ear.

Echokit ran the long way, not wanting to stick out. Spirestrike had a grin on his face, and curled his tail around Echokit's tail. Beside him, Greenpaw winked at Echokit.

"Today, we are making both an apprentice and a warrior." Driftstar meowed to her clan. "Greenpaw, Spirestrike, come here."Echokit watched as her father and his apprentice stood beneath the Highrock, and felt a pang of some emotion she couldn't name.

"Spirestrike, is Greenpaw ready to become a true warrior of Shadowclan?" Driftstar smiles warmly upon Spirestrike.

"Yes. Greenpaw's strength and skill are those of a warrior."

Greenpaw leapt upon the Highrock, all eyes pointed at her.

The feeling grew stronger, and Echokit knew its name. Jealousy.

_Of course._

"Greenpaw, do you promise to uphold Shadowclan's laws, and to protect your clan mates with your life?"

"I do, Driftstar." Greenpaw meowed, her emerald eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

"Then by the light of Starclan, I, Driftstar, give you your warrior name. May your shadow cast long, Greenleap."

Greenleap sat at the edge of the Highrock, her shadow falling across the rest of the clan in the sunlight. Shadowclan cheered her name, yowling wildly. Greenleap jumped from the Highrock and was swarmed with cats.

"Now, Shadowclan, we will appoint a new apprentice. Echokit, stand under the Highrock." Driftstar yowled.

Echokit walked under the Highrock, but cats were still cheering for Greenleap.

"Ashenspots, come here." The spotted grey tom cat walked through the crowd and stopped beside Echokit.

"Looks like we'll be working together," he whispered, grinning.

"Echokit, do you promise to train your skill as a Shadowclan cat and obey your mentor?" Driftstar called.

"Yes." Echokit meowed, and felt a strange presence prick her fur.

Driftstar motioned with her paw, and Ashenspots lowered his head and touched his nose against Echokit's. "Then until you become a warrior, you will be known as Echopaw."

Echopaw smiled at Ashenspots as the clan called her new name.

"You'll be my first apprentice," He meowed.

"You'll be my first mentor." Echopaw smirked.

"Echopaw, come on! We can show you the apprentice's den!" The dark-striped yellow tom, Birchpaw, waved his tail excitedly. Echopaw had just came from a tour of the brook border, which she didn't feel she exactly needed.

"Okay." She purred, and followed Birchpaw through camp, waving goodbye to Ashenspots.

The apprentice's den was in a small hollow under a huge thorn bush.

Rapidpaw and Thawpaw were waiting, obviously excited as Echopaw padded in.

Rapidpaw rushed right up to Echopaw, tail high like a banner. "It's so nice that we got another apprentice as soon as one left!" She purred. "I love your tail," She mewed, looking at Echopaw's smooth, plumy tail compared to her wild, fluffy one.

"Oh. Thanks?" Echopaw wasn't sure what to say.

Birchpaw crouched onto a much better looking version of the one Echopaw had practiced with Fawnflight last night. "Do you know how to do the hunting crouch? Well, you probably worked on it a little." He meowed.

"Yes," Echopaw felt her cheeks burn as she dropped into her clumsy hunting crouch.

"It's ok..." Rapidpaw mused. "We can help you work on it, and then tomorrow Ashenspots will be like 'wow! You're amazing!"

Suddenly, the siblings began meowing over each other, hyper.

"Shut up, guys!" Thawpaw yelled. "Sorry about that," he folded his ears back in embarrassment. "Sometimes their energy bounces off each other."

"It's no problem." Birchpaw laughed. "If we're getting annoying just tell us."

Echopaw sat awkwardly, feeling slightly out of loop with the cat's easygoing personalities. Where were the hissing, the screaming matches, and fighting?

"You okay, Echopaw?" Thawpaw lay a paw on her tail.

"Oh yes. It's actually very nice, but I expected more fighting." The three apprentices' glanced warily at each other.

"Brambleflower hit you?" Rapidpaw asked gently.

"Only sometimes."

"And she didn't... Kill any of your littermates?" Birchpaw pried.

"What do you mean kill?" Echopaw blinked. "She only drowned Moonkit because she argued with Mama."

The apprentices stared in horror at Echopaw's vacant expression.

Thawpaw folded his ears back and whispered, "And you were okay with that?"

"Well... she was always.. the bad... one..." Echopaw finally realized the look in their faces was fear. "It was fine!" She snapped. "Let's just go to bed," She meowed.

The three apprentices curled in their nests, eyes wide. Echopaw had already closed her eyes before she could see the other's pitying looks.

"Hello, darling." The pale calico she-cat stood over Echopaw, faintly glowing.

Echopaw looked around herself, and found she was in a vast forest clearing, with gorgeous skies, though starless, and lush growth. "Mama!" She cried at Brackenflower's shape.

"Echopaw." Brackenflower nodded curtly. "I see you've made it into Shadowclan."

"Yes! Just like you told me!" Echopaw yelled, eager for some emotion in her mother's dead eyes.

"Only after I made you." She hissed. "Well, that was all for tonight," Brackenflower lashed out her claws over Echopaw, and as Echopaw flinched, her dream spiraled into light.

\- -** Brownfur**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

**So... oof.**

**My computer tried to rebel against living, but I fixed it. SO NOW I can finally update haha cri. You'll be getting two chapters today!**

**And quick explanation thingy:**

**This takes place long before The Prophecies Begin and after Skyclan left. And before the Dark Forest in a way. You'll see. I hope.**

**And Spiderclaw has been introduced yeee! (If anyone wants to submit a cat for the clans, I'd use them as long as they aren't Starstar or something!)**

**\- ****-Brownfur/Nostalgia Claws**

_Echopaw was no_t good at fighting.

She stood shakily, pine needles stuck to her pelt. "Did I do better that time?"

Ashenspots grimaced, worried for his small apprentice. "Well, you didn't knock yourself into the tree," He meowed. "One last time."

Echopaw sighed. Her and Ashenspots had been practicing the moves he taught her since sunrise, and it was almost sunhigh now. She padded forwards, a tail-length away from her mentor, and crouched, ready for impact. Ashenspots launched himself at Echopaw, paws out stretched but claws sheathed.

"Roll!" He hissed, as he began to ram into Echopaw. The brown she-cat twisted as Ashenspots' paws pushed her. She rolled, missing Ashenspots' attack completely.

"Hey," she stood shakily, "I did it!" Echopaw waved her tail.

"You did!" Ashenspots mewed. "But there's much, much harder things we need to learn," he blinked sympathetically. "But what do you say we get something to eat?"

"From the prey pile?"

"From the forest." Ashenspots smiled. "You did well enough yesterday."

Echopaw bounded into the woods. "Let's go!"

Echopaw's fur brushed against the thorn tunnel as she came into Shadowclan's camp, a mouse in her jaws. Ashenspots was close behind her and was carrying his large crow and a lizard.

They lay their catch on the prey-pile, which was now rather full.

"There's been an unusually large amount of prey for the start of leafbare, hasn't there?"

Echopaw whirled around to see a long-furred grey she-cat behind her.

"Did I startle you? Sorry. I'm Spiderclaw," She meowed. "I saw you yesterday and the day before, but I haven't talked to you yet."

"It's fine." Echopaw smoothed her pelt down.

Spiderclaw nonchalantly brushed past Ashenspots and Echopaw and grabbed a mouse.

Ashenspots nodded to Echopaw. "You can eat now." He sat with his crow and turned to Spiderclaw. "I hope this good leaffall means a good leafbare as well."

"Yeah, I'm worried about my herb stores, though. Like every year." Spiderclaw mewed.

"Are you a medicine cat?" Echopaw asked the grey she-cat.

"Yes. I only just got my medicine cat name last moon, though." Spiderclaw finished her mouse and stood. "Well, it's been nice chatting, but I should check on Ebonypool's kits now." She flicked her tail in farewell and walked into the nursery.

Echopaw picked up a mouse from the prey-pile and padded over to where Thawpaw and Rapidpaw were eating.

"Come sit down!" Rapidpaw mewed, her lizard barely touched. "I was just telling Thawpaw about how hunting was today!"

Thawpaw gave Echopaw an overdramatic exasperated look and shrugged.

"Okay," Echopaw grinned.

"So I saw this huge mouse, like, huge huge! Like the length of my tail! And it was laying under the bracken, completely unknowing I was behind it. But when I stepped forwards-"

"Oh hush, Rapidpaw," Greenleap mewed lightheartedly, passing by the apprentices. "You're supposed to be going on this battle training lesson."

Rapidpaw abandoned her lizard and raced past Greenleap towards her mentor. "Well, at least she's done talking." The brown-black warrior followed the apprentice.

"Finally we can have a few words to ourselves," Thawpaw meowed.

"Her and Birchpaw are rather loud, aren't they?" Echopaw asked.

"They've gotten better the older they've gotten. I bet in a moon they'll be almost normal."

Echopaw twitched her tail in amusement.

Rapidpaw shook a feather from his finch and blinked strangely at Echopaw. "Are you going on the border patrol at dawn? Thistlerash said you might be coming."

"Yes. But I don't think I have anything else to do tonight."

Rapidpaw finished his finch and looked up. "Want to play?"

"Sure!"

Echopaw stared up at the barely rising moon in the center of camp. Thawpaw had already gone to sleep, and she knew she should be too. Rapidpaw and Birchpaw were play-fighting with Speckledkit by the nursery.

"You should be getting to bed if you're going on a dawn patrol," Fawnflight's warm meow came from behind Echopaw.

"I will."

The cinnamon-toned she-cat rasped a tongue over Echopaw's ear. "Let's go."

The brown and white apprentice followed Fawnflight into the apprentice den and lay down in her nest.

"Goodnight, darling," Fawnflight whispered and left the den.

Echopaw found herself in the same forest clearing as she was the night before, ferns curling around her paws and the sky cleared than the brook.

"Ah. Darling, you're here."

Brackenflower stood at the edge of the clearing, near where the forest grew thick. She flicked her long-furred tail.

"Mama? Where is this place?" Echopaw ran to the spirit of her mother and peered past her into the woods.

"We're at forest edge now. Camp is this way." Brackenflower turned tail and padded into the dark forest. Echopaw raced after her, and slowly the sky was blocked out by the trees and everything was black except her mother's dark glow.

Then Brackenflower veered down a fern-ridden path, and light filled the woods again.

Echopaw gaped around. "Why are there glowing plants?" She meowed, gazing at a clump of blue gleaming mushrooms. All around were bioluminescent mushrooms, casting pale light into the forest.

"No one remembers when they first started growing. The Blueglows seem to always have been here." Brackenflower said bluntly.

"But-" Echopaw began.

"Hush. Just follow." The calico cat weaves her way through the tunnel-like path of the forest until she came upon a hollow. The leaves completely covered the sky, but the glowing blue mushrooms coated the clearing in a blue light. Dark glowing cats chatted and shared tongues around a huge pool in the center of the clearing. There were dens made of woven vines and moss, which cats came in and out of.

Brambleflower padded towards the other cats near the pool.

A darkly glittering she-cat was the first to come near. "Brambleflower, who is this?" She had a tortoiseshell pelt with warm amber eyes.

"I'm Echopaw."

The she-cat dipped head and smiled. "I'm Specklednose. Welcome to Forestclan." Suddenly, a lilac brown young cat bounded over, more cats slowly coming behind.

"Another apprentice in Forestclan so soon?" She mewed happily. "I'm Primroseclaw!" Her blue eyes were dark and starry, and her form translucent.

Echopaw was confused, but waited to ask questions. "I'm Echopaw."

"Oh, Brambleflower's kit?" Primroseclaw glanced at where the calico she-cat sat behind them.

"Yes." Brambleflower meowed.

Echopaw padded over to her mother. "Mama, I thought this was Starclan," she whispered.

"Starclan?" A young grey and white tom cat laughed, trotting over to Echopaw. "We do more than Starclan ever does. I'm Zephyrfoot. And I know you must be Echokit."

"Echopaw." She corrected. "What does Forestclan do?"

Zephyrfoot barely was a head taller than Echopaw, she noticed as he stepped closer. "I think you mean Echoclaw. We're dead cats who don't live in Starclan. Some of us did bad things for good reasons. Some of us did more bad than good. We like to help cats who Starclan won't."

Brambleflower nodded. "Apprentices here are given claw instead of paw."

"We usually help cats develop their skills, like hunting or fighting, or even medicine cat training. Most of the cats we train become leaders or deputies." Specklednose meowed.

Echopaw- Echoclaw, she corrected herself, twitched her tail. "Will you help me?"

Brambleflower scoffed. "Why would I bring you here if it weren't to train? We just need to wait until Blizzardstar comes."

Zephyrfoot, Specklednose, and Primroseclaw all dispersed into the camp, and as Brambleflower sat back away from Echopaw, the apprentice saw a group of cats walking in from one edge of the camp.

One cat there was much brighter and solid than the dark spirits around it. _Solid... And real?_

"Why is that cat bright?" Echopaw pointed her paw towards the cat in the distance.

Brackenflower flicked her gaze to the figure. "That's Swallowskies."

"But why are they bright?"

"She's as alive as you."

_Alive?_ The cat separated from her group, along with a huge grey spirit cat.

Brambleflower swatted Echopaw on the shoulder and ran to greet them.

Echopaw winced and followed.

"Well, you brought Echoclaw." Blizzardstar meowed coolly. "She looks just right."

"She looks like a frail leaf, ready to crumble!" Brambleflower spat. "Now do you realize my confusion?"

Swallowskies was a tall red and silver calico with shredded ears and dark eyes. Her thick fur was pierced with scars all down her back. "Not out here." She hissed.

Blizzardstar lifted Echopaw by her scruff as if she was a feather. Swallowskies watched as the rest of the cats left the camp by a small, vine-covered tunnel and came out into a riverbank. The adult cats waded through the shallow water across the middle of the river onto a large flat stone.

Zephyrfoot was already waiting there for them. Blizzardstar dropped Echopaw gently onto the cool stone.

"Echoclaw is the cat I wanted, Brambleflower," the tall grey tom said slowly.

Echopaw's mother hissed. "Whisperkit was better for this. He was stronger, smarter, and already wanted to learn to fight!"

Echopaw pressed her ears to the side of her head, fear and shame squeezing her chest. Memories of her mother screaming at nothing the same words, the same argument came back to her.

"Instead you wanted this fragile thing!" Brambleflower snarled.

"Whisperkit was a natural at everything we can teach Echoclaw. But he wouldn't be able to do what he needs to do." Blizzardstar meowed. "Calm, Brambleflower. You will have your revenge. Zephyrfoot and I will take over training Echoclaw. You won't even have to see her."

Echopaw had pressed herself into the shadows, keeping herself as small as possible. Brambleflower was seething.

"Fine! I just wanted what we all want! This is the last time I bring her here! You'll have to do it yourself!" Brambleflower raced back into the camp tunnel.

Zephyrfoot turned to Echopaw. "Well. That went much better than expected. I thought she would kill you."

_Mama wouldn't. _

Mama would.

Blizzardstar smiled at Echopaw's convulsed face. "Brambleflower will come around. Now, you need to wake up. It's time for your patrol."

Echopaw woke up with a gasp.

\- -Brownfur/Nostalgia Claws


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

**Told you I would do two in one day! Not like anyone's making sure haha. Anyways, our other main-ish but not really character is introduced here! (REEE I LOVE HIM)**

**And the next chapter will have updated Allegiances for Shadowclan and Forestclan.**

**I still need some cat names for the rest of the clans.**

**\- ****-Brownfur/Nostalgia Claws**

_Echopaw stood from_ her nest shakily.

"This is your first dawn patrol!" Thawpaw mewed quietly. His silver and grey pelt was gold in the first light of the sun.

Echopaw blinked, mind still whirling with the confusion of her dream. "Yes," She meowed blankly.

"Then let's go!" Thawpaw lashed his tail around Echopaw's and they walked out of the apprentice den. Ashenspots, Spirestrike, Writheclaws, and Thistlerash were waiting for the apprentices and Ashenspots waved them over with his tail.

The patrol left camp, and began to walk along the borders between the pines and Thunderclan's oaks.

"I smell... mouse!" Echopaw mewed. "Should we catch it?" She asked Thawpaw.

He laughed. "No. We don't catch things on border patrols. At least until leafbare."

"Oh. Well, your turn." The apprentices were taking turns smelling something out, like Thistlerash said they should.

Thawpaw parted his paw and breathed in. "I smell... Thunderclan?"

Echopaw nudged him with her paw. "We're a fox-length away from the border, cheater."

"No, as in an actual patrol," Writheclaws called from the front of the patrol.

Five Thunderclan cats padded close, still on their side of the border, and stopped.

"Hello, Spirestrike!" A blue she-cat called, waving her tail in greeting.

"How's the prey running, Starlingclaw?" Echopaw's father meowed.

"Great for this time in leaffall. How is yours?"

"The same here." Spirestrike stepped over the border into the neutral land and began to talk to the patrol. Echopaw looked at all the cats. The blue she-cat. A ginger tabby tom. A younger white and black tom. And-

Swallowskies, the cat from her dream stared back at her. Echopaw swallowed slowly, and Swallowskies dipped her head in greeting. And behind stepped out a thick, long-furred tom apprentice. His pelt was white dappled with orange and brown, a calico.

"I thought only she-cats could be calico and tortoiseshell," Thawpaw voiced Echopaw's thoughts.

"Rarely, a tom can be a tortoiseshell." Writheclaws looked down at the apprentices. "Say hello. You can talk."

Echopaw stepped closer to the tom, ignoring Swallowskies' hot gaze. "Hello. I'm Echopaw and this is Thawpaw," she introduced.

The tom slowly padded forwards and curled his tail around his paws. "Hi. I'm Heartpaw." Swallowskies nudged him to his feet, and Heartpaw looked down to his paws. "How are you?"

"We're good. And you?" Thawpaw eyed Heartpaw with confusion.

"Good."

The apprentices sat in an awkward silence until their mentors finally finished their conversation.

"Goodbye!" Spirestrike called to the Thunderclan cats one last time, and headed back to camp.

The sun had risen by now, and a thin curtain of clouds clung around them. It was time for battle training with Rapidpaw and Redrose.

Ashenspots led Echopaw back to the training grounds. The peat was solid, but still soft enough to cushion the apprentices. There, Rapidpaw was swatting at the air, claws unsheathed.

"Hi!" She squeaked.

Redrose looked exasperated already. Since Rapidpaw's first mentor, Curlyears, was expecting kits, he had to take over.

"Well, let's start off with some warmups," Ashenspots stretched out his back and legs. Echopaw followed suit.

"Enough warmup, let's fight!" Rapidpaw yelled, tail lashing.

"Now, go easy on Echopaw, she doesn't know as much as you do," Redrose cautioned and flicked his long red tail.

"Ready?" Ashenspots asked the apprentices.

They nodded.

And Rapidpaw launched herself into Echopaw's chest, slamming her into the ground. Echopaw was already out of breath, and her vision blurred, but she stumbled to her feet quickly. While she struggled to recover her senses, Rapidpaw leapt on top of Echopaw's back and pressed her face into the ground.

"Are you alright?" Ashenspots asked, wincing at Echopaw's frame.

"Yes."

_No._

Rapidpaw grabbed Echopaw by her scruff and tossed into the ground one last time. Echopaw's vision darkened, and she wailed.

Rapidpaw gaped. "I'm sorry! I thought she would- Well, fight back!" The gold apprentice's ears were folded back in horror.

Ashenspots and Redrose lifted Echopaw to her feet. She shook, weak.

"I'll take her to Streakfern and Spiderclaw." Ashenspots meowed, cooling the panic in his voice.

"I'm so sorry!" Rapidpaw cried.

"Don't be." Echopaw mewed.

Ashenspots let his apprentice lean on him as they walked back to camp.

Fawnflight, Birchpaw, and Bladetooth were sitting in the center of camp.

Fawnflight rushed to Ashenspots' side. "What happened?"

"Echopaw had a little trouble with battle training." The spotted grey cat meowed.

Spiderclaw had just walked from her den. "Come along."

The medicine cat den was a small cave with moss dripping from the ceiling. Herbs were stored in small holes in the ground. A pair of nests were in the corner, with two more near the front. Spiderclaw motioned to Echopaw to sit in one of the nests.

"What happened specifically?"

"I can't fight." Echopaw mewed, forlorn.

"I mean how you got hurt." Spiderclaw grabbed some small-leaved herb that smelt strange, like the entire den.

"My head hit the ground hard." Echopaw curled her tail around her.

Spiderclaw ran her paws over the apprentice's skull. "No soft spots, just a small bruise. You'll be fine." She passed Echopaw the leaves of the herb she had a second ago. "Eat."

Echopaw lapped up the herb. "What is this?"

"Thyme. So you can stop freaking out. Now take these poppy seeds." The small black pearls tasted heady and yet sweet. "Poppy seeds help you sleep, and are good for pain. Now take a nap, and when you wake up, you'll feel much better. Sleep is my favorite medicine." Spiderclaw padded out of the den, presumably to reassure Ashenspots.

The poppy seeds lulled Echopaw into a gentle sleep.

At least until she awoke in Forestclan again. Echopaw's head still pounded, but she was steady on her paws. The brown tabby was alone this time, and took the tunnel into camp. The leaves blotted out the sky once more, and only the Blueglows lit the forest world.

Echopaw slowly padded out of the tunnel, and gazed around at the spirit cats. They laughed and talked around the pool of water. Some were training at one edge of camp. And others slept under the blue lights.

And quite a few of them were living. A silver classic tabby tom slept beside a ghostly white she-cat, tails intertwined. There was a long-furred smoky apprentice that launched herself with astonishing speed at the spirit in front of her.

Echopaw turned, and stood face to face- well, chest, with Blizzardstar. He loomed over her, like any other cat in Forestclan. Zephyrfoot stood beside him, only his ears taller than Echopaw.

"Hey Echoclaw." The grey and white tom grinned.

"Echopaw."

"Claw." Blizzardstar corrected, and brushed past Zephyrfoot. "We have much to work on."

"What?" Echopaw gazed up at the spirit cat.

"I saw what happened. You didn't even attempt to fight back."

Echopaw folded her ears back in shame. "How did you see me?"

Blizzardstar pointed to the pool in the center of camp. "We can watch you whenever we want. Let's train."

Blizzardstar and Zephyrfoot took off towards another tunnel of vines lit by the mushrooms. Echopaw followed, stumbling, and came out in a small hollow, with a barren, plantless floor. Pawprints covered every part of the dirt. In one corner, a gold tabby spirit cat was leaping over a calico cat.

Echopaw pointed to the figures and turned to Zephyrfoot. "The alive calico cat over there, what clan is-"

The figure turned to the sound of voices, and Echopaw recognized the face. "Heartpaw?"

_That weird quiet cat._

He blinked slowly and stepped back. "Oh."

"Heartclaw's from Thunderclan." Zephyrfoot answered unhelpfully.

Blizzardstar waved his tail over Echopaw's face, and she glanced at him. "Yes, we're training, remember?"

Echopaw followed the cats to another corner, giving Heartpaw a final glance.

"First move." Zephyrfoot crouched. He let his weight balance evenly and picked up a paw. "See how now I'm easier to push over? Try it."

Echopaw nodded and shoved Zephyrfoot off-balance.

"When you pick up a paw, move your other front paw more to the center, and move up your back leg closest to it."

Echopaw tried to push Zephyrfoot again, but he didn't budge.

"Now your turn." Blizzardstar meowed.

Echopaw crouched the right way and lifted her front paw. Zephyrfoot launched himself at Echopaw, and she fell, but much softer and on her paws.

"Now, continue."

Zephyrfoot pinned Echopaw under his paw and pressed hard. She whimpered and struggled uselessly.

"Kick with your back legs." Blizzardstar circled the cats.

Echopaw obeyed and thrust her hind legs out, the grey & white tom skidding back.

"Get up!"

Quickly, Echopaw rolled onto her paws, then turned and swatted at Zephyrfoot. He ducked back with little effort, and reared up.

"Strike at his stomach, Echoclaw."

Echopaw ran into Zephyrfoot's stomach, and he fell onto his back.

"Pin him."

The brown she-cat jumped over his frame and held his shoulders against the hard ground. "Now what?" She meowed, short of breath.

"Finish him."

"What?" Echopaw's blood chilled. She turned her head towards Blizzardstar, and watched his tabby tail lash in contempt.

"When training, if you pin down your opponent, put a paw at their neck and you've won the battle. No claws, of course."

"Oh." Echopaw placed her paw over Zephyrfoot's throat, then let him free.

"Much better," He meowed, smiling, and cast a look at Blizzardstar that Echopaw couldn't read. "Echoclaw might be saved yet."

Face as stone-like as ever, Blizzardstar nodded. "You may go. Training is over for today."

"So I just wake up?" Echopaw asked.

"You don't have to. You can roam the camp as if it's Shadowclan." Zephyrfoot meowed.

Echopaw grinned and scampered through the blue-lit tunnel into the camp hollow. Cats milled about, still a mix of spirits and living. The brown and white apprentice sat under a branch and watched the strange clan go by.

Until she was crushed under a sack of fur.

"I'm so, so sorry!" The voice sitting on her head cried. As the cat leapt off, Echopaw raised her head to a calico and white pelt.

"Heartpaw?"

He was cringing, ears flat against his head. "I'm so sorry, I was trying to climb, you know, to see if there was a sky behind all those leaves, but my claw slipped, and it's probably wrenched, but I fell down, and it was on you, and I'm sorry." His voice had turned into a whisper by the end of the sentence.

"I'm fine." Echopaw smoothed her fur down with a rasp of her tongue. "How were you climbing a tree anyways?"

Heartpaw curled himself into as small as a shape he could, which wasn't that small. "It's one of the few things I can get right sometimes."

"Can you teach me?"

"I'm not that good at climbing, as I demonstrated for you." Heartpaw's eyes were anxious.

Echopaw sat beside Heartpaw and tapped him with her tail. "Don't get stressed. I'm fine. Besides you said it was the thing you could get right."

"Sometimes." But Heartpaw's shoulders eased a little. "I'm sorry I was weird earlier. I just- Freak out."

"It's okay."

"I-"

Echopaw's vision began flashing white. "What the stars is happening?"

"Are you waking up? My vision flashes when that happens." Heartpaw opened his mouth to say more, but Echopaw awoke to rays of sunlight.

-**\- Brownfur/Nostalgia Claws**


	7. Oof

Hey.

So... Oof.

I won't be making any updates soon, but I will finish this.

I got sick, got depressy again(?), and then I had life happen. So that's why I couldn't write for a while. And then I did.

As I started planning more, I was like;

"wAiT A mInUtE!"

"I don't heccing know where I'm going with the middle plot! Also I messed up what I wanted for the origins of forestclan/the dark forest! And the characters are somehow wrong?!"

So I will revise and rewrite this, but I won't publish anymore for a while, oof. BUT I have more thought-out plots and stories, so I'll work on those! (Not all of these will be warrior cats owo)

SO ye. I'm heccing sorry, friendos. See you soon?


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